KAMPALA, November 9, 2026 — Apostle Grace Lubega, the founder and lead pastor of Phaneroo Ministries International, has found himself at the centre of a growing social media storm following his appearance at the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) National Religious Leaders Breakfast Meeting held at Serena Kigo on November 6.

The meeting, which brought together prominent Born-again church leaders and PLU officials, was initially dominated by discussions surrounding social commentator Frank Gashumba's criticism of Pentecostal pastors. However, attention has since shifted to Lubega, with many social media users questioning some of his remarks during the engagement.

At the centre of the backlash is Lubega's reported statement that PLU is not known to be an abusive and subversive organisation, a description that has not gone down well with some Ugandans who point to reports and videos of alleged abductions and illegal detentions.

Some social media users, including individuals identifying themselves as Phaneroo followers, have expressed disappointment with the preacher's remarks, arguing that church leaders should not overlook concerns about human rights and the treatment of citizens when engaging political organisations.

One of the widely shared reactions came from a social media user identified as Norah Kobusingye, who addressed Lubega as her spiritual father and questioned his assessment of PLU.

She argued that young people in his congregation were aware of videos and reports concerning alleged abductions and were therefore uncomfortable with what they perceived as a defence of the organisation.

Her post triggered further debate, with some agreeing with her concerns while others defended Lubega, arguing that his participation in a political engagement should not automatically be interpreted as an endorsement of everything associated with PLU.

Indeed, Lubega also reportedly challenged PLU leaders during the meeting over allegations of abductions and illegal detentions, saying the incidents were making it increasingly difficult for religious leaders to explain their association with the organisation to their congregations.

Old Resurrection Claims Resurface

As the debate intensified, old video clips of Lubega preaching to congregations began circulating again on social media, adding another dimension to the controversy.

One particular clip, which has attracted considerable attention, captures the Phaneroo leader speaking about raising people from the dead.

In the footage, Lubega tells his audience that raising a dead person is not difficult, claiming that he knows this because he has raised four people from the dead.

"I know because I have raised four," he says in the circulating clip.

The statement has attracted renewed scrutiny, with sceptics questioning the circumstances surrounding the alleged miracles and demanding independently verifiable accounts of the incidents.

A report published on Monday by Blizz Uganda also highlighted the resurfaced claims, noting that the identities of the other individuals, dates, locations and medical records confirming the reported deaths and subsequent recoveries had not been publicly established in the information surrounding the claims.

The report noted that the claims had divided opinion, with supporters pointing to matters of faith while critics called for verifiable evidence.

Neither the circulating footage nor the online discussions independently establish the circumstances of the alleged resurrections.

A Meeting That Sparked More Than One Controversy

Lubega's appearance at Serena Kigo was part of a wider engagement between PLU leadership and religious leaders, which also featured Pastors Robert Kayanja, Joseph Sserwada and Jackson Ssenyonga, among others.

The meeting had also provided a platform for pastors to raise concerns about Gashumba's remarks describing some Pentecostal preachers as fake pastors who allegedly exploit their congregations through prosperity gospel and claims of fake miracles.

Lubega took issue with Gashumba's use of the term "miyayu", meaning wild cats, to describe pastors, while Ssenyonga challenged the social commentator to identify specific individuals he considered fake rather than generalising about the entire Pentecostal community.

Pastor Robert Kayanja also explained why he had publicly confronted Gashumba, saying he could not allow what he considered continued attacks on the Church of Christ to go unanswered.

However, what began as a meeting to address grievances between religious leaders and a social commentator has since developed into a wider public debate about religious accountability, political engagement, human rights and the responsibilities of influential church leaders.

For Lubega, the online reaction has placed his statements, his relationship with his congregation and his extraordinary miracle testimonies under renewed public scrutiny.